Plume



(No Model.)

W. E. BARNES.

PLU'ME.

No. 403,084. PatentedMay 14, 1889.

N. Pzmls, Phololilhagnphur, Wnhinghm n. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM E. BARNES, OF FLORENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

PLUME.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 403,084, dated May 14,1889.

Application filed August 13,1888. Serial No. 282,634. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. BARNES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Florence, in the county of Hampshire and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Plumes, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to plumes made from wool, the object being to soimprove the construction of such articles that they can be produced moreeconomically than heretofore and of a more useful and attractivequality; and the invention consists in the peculiar construction andarrangement of the parts constituting said plumes, all as hereinafterfully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is aperspective view of a wool plume constructed according to my invention.Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the plume center, showing portions of thewool in section applied thereto and the manner of securing the wool tosaid center, the outline form of the plume, when completed, beingindicated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a plumediffering in form and manner of arranging the wool thereof from thatshown in Fig. 1, all as hereinafter described.

In the drawings, 2 indicates the center of the plume, consisting,preferably, of two wires twisted together having a length considerablyless than the completed plume, in order that the larger end thereof mayconsist of wool only, both on account of the better finished appearanceofthe same and in the cluster construction particularly, to prevent thehard substance of the center from scratching and injuring any article onwhich it may be used. Said center 2 has the wires of its outer endseparated, as shown in Fig. 2, one of which is bent downward, and theother one has a hook, 3, formed thereon. In the finished plume, as shownin Figs. 1 and 3, ametallic cap, 4, having a slot in its covered end, isplaced over the outer end of said center, allowing the hook 3 thereon toprotrude through said slot, thereby providing convenient means forattaching a hook-such as is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1or otherdevice, whereby the plume is suspended on the sides of a bridle or inany other place, as may be desired.

When the plume is used, as is frequently the case, in a horizontal or ina vertical position, its capped end is suitably secured to anyconvenient rosette-like part or in a diskshaped base.

It will be observed by reference to Figs. 1 and 2 that the wool part ofthe plume there shown consists of several overlying tufts or sections,a, b, and c, and that said tufts are of varying lengths, the tufts abeing the shorter, the tuft b lying over tuft a and longer than thelatter, and the outer tuft, 0, having suificient length to envelop bothof said inner tufts.

For plumes of one color only the foregoing is the preferableconstruction, although since said three wool portions or tufts all terminate at the larger end of the plume they may consist of differentcolorsas, for instance, red for a, white for b, and blue for athusmaking a desirable combination of colors looking at said larger end.

The arrangement of the wool on the center in producing the plume shownin Fig. 3 is somewhat different from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, inthat the overlying tuft 2 thereof is only partially covered by the nextupper tuft e, and the latter is only partially covered by the upper tuftf. This last-described arrangement provides for applying several colorsof Wool to the center, (cl, (2, and f being of different colors,) theouter surfaces of which are all exposed, thus providing a most pleasingeffect.

In making the above-described plumes the latter ordinarily contain morewool, to better fit them for the use for which they are intended; butthe construction of the bodies of both articles is substantiallyidentical, and is as follows: The said center 2 is held, preferably,between the centers of a lathe,whereby a rotary motion may be impartedto it. The wool applied to said center is assorted to provide theseveral successive lengths or tufts above referred to, and a coil offine windingwire, 5, or cord is provided near said center, one end ofwhich may be conveniently attached thereto, as shown in Fig. 2. Theoperator then applies portions of wool onto said center while the latterrevolves, laying them under said winding wire or cord untilenough shallhave been so applied to form the entire lower tuft, a or d, of theplume, and proceeds in like manner to form the successive tufts untilall shall have been secured to the cen-' ter, When the larger end istrimmed or cut to proper shape and the upper end finished as may bedesired.

The above-described manner of making \vool plumes provides conveniencesfor employing a variety of colors in their manufacture not heretoforeenjoyed, and permits of dyeing the Wool, if desired, after securing itonto the center 2, as the latter is unaffected by the hot dye used indyeing the Wool. It is obvious that WOOCl or other suitable similarmaterial may be substituted for the semirigid twisted Wire center 2, ifdesired, if it possess sufficient rigidity to cause the plume tomalntain a proper form.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. A plume consisting of a centerpiece, sub stantially as described, having several successive tufts ofW001, one above the other, socured thereto by a Winding-Wire, the outerone of said tufts enveloping the inner ones, but all having the sameterminal lengtl1,substantially as set forth.

H. A. OHAPIN, WM. S. BELLoWs.

